A Dowry of Dreams

Chapter-lll

Urmila's heart raced as she recognized Jai's face in the dim light. His grip on her was firm, his expression unreadable. She struggled against his hold, trying to free herself.

"Jai, let me go!" she managed to murmur, her voice muffled by his hand.

He hesitated for a moment, then removed his hand from her mouth but kept his body pressed against hers. "Urmila," he whispered, his voice low and intense. "I didn't mean to scare you. I just wanted to talk."

Tears welled up in Urmila's eyes as she tried to make sense of the situation. "Talk? About what? You're scaring me."

Jai's eyes softened slightly, and he stepped back a bit, though his body language still seemed imposing. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize how it would come across. I just-" He sighed, struggling to find the right words. "I've been wanting to get to know you better. I thought this would be a way to have a private conversation."

Urmila took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "If you wanted to talk, you could have asked me in a normal way. This isn't okay."

Jai nodded, looking genuinely regretful. "You're right. I'm sorry for my behavior. I'll make it up to you. Please, just give me a chance to explain."

Before Urmila could respond, she heard voices approaching. Jai's demeanor shifted, and he glanced around nervously. "We can't talk here. Let's go somewhere else."

Urmila hesitated, then nodded slowly. She wanted to make sure Jai was genuine and not a threat. They walked away from the cinema hall, keeping to less crowded areas. Jai tried to strike up a calm conversation, apologizing repeatedly and explaining his intentions.

As they reached a quieter spot, Urmila finally found her voice. "I appreciate he apology, but you need to respect my boundaries."

Jai's expression tightened as Urmila's words sank in. His eyes flashed with a mix of frustration and pain. "Respect your boundaries? I did this because I care about you, Urmila," he said, his voice barely containing his rising temper. "I thought if I could just talk to you, you'd see that I'm not like-"

Urmila took a step back, her gaze dropping to the ground. "You don't understand. You can't just force yourself on someone and then expect them to see your intentions clearly."

Jai's face hardened. His hands clenched into fists at his sides. "I didn't force you. I just... I lost control. It's just- I wanted to get close to you, and I thought this was the only way."

Urmila's heart pounded, the earlier fear mixing with a growing frustration. "This isn't how you get close to someone, Jai. You can't just disregard someone's comfort because you think you know best."

Jai's temper flared. He stepped forward, his voice rising. "I know I messed up! But do you think I'm a bad person for that? I'm trying to show you that I care. I'm trying to fix it."

Urmila's eyes widened at his outburst. She took another step back, feeling the chill of the evening air against her skin. "I don't know if you can fix this, Jai. I need to think about what's best for me right now."

Jai's shoulders slumped slightly as he took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure. His voice was quieter now, a plea lacing his words. "Just... don't shut me out completely. I need you to understand that I'm not a threat. I'm not a bad person. I'm just- I'm just trying to be honest about my feelings."

Jai's apology was sincere, but his frustration was evident as he tried to articulate his feelings. Urmila remained guarded, still struggling to reconcile the man before her with the one who had startled her earlier. Her mind raced, trying to understand what could have led to such a dramatic turn of events. Meanwhile, Jai's gaze was fixed intently on Urmila's lips.

He suddenly grabbed Urmila's face, his eyes burning with a mix of passion and desperation. In a swift, uncontrolled movement, he pressed his lips to hers, the kiss forceful and uninvited.

Urmila's eyes widened in shock, her body stiffening against him. She tried to pull away, but Jai's grip was unyielding, his need for her overpowering his rationality. The kiss was intense, filled with the raw, unchecked emotions Jai had been struggling to control.

When he finally broke the kiss, both of them were breathing heavily. Jai's eyes were wild, reflecting the internal battle he was fighting. Urmila's face was flushed, a mix of fear and confusion clouding her expression.

"What... what are you doing?" she managed to gasp, her voice trembling. Her heart pounded furiously, and her mind was a whirlwind of emotions. She had never imagined Jai, whom she had always thought of as distant or even abrasive, could be capable of such an act.

Jai's face fell, and he took a step back, his anger giving way to regret. "I... I'm sorry," he said, his voice cracking. "I don't know what came over me. I just-"

"Don't," Urmila interrupted, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her. "Don't apologize. Just stay away from me. This isn't how you show you care."

She turned and walked away, her steps quick and deliberate, her emotions in disarray. Jai watched her go, his own heart heavy with the weight of his actions. As Urmila disappeared into the distance, Jai was left alone, grappling with the consequences of his uncontrolled emotions and the realization of how he had pushed her further away.